The Great British Pubco Scam. Pubs are closing all over Britain yet pubs are places that most people love and think fondly of as some of the most significant, treasured, iconic parts of our culture, places to be cherished, nurtured and looked after. Yet they're closing everywhere... WHY? It doesn't make sense does it? Read on...
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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Martin Horwood has done well to grasp the magnitude of the situation with pubs in Britain but the unfortunate reality is that as long as the beer tie exists in any legally enforceable form that is not a voluntary agreement between two parties it will be abused to extract all profit from the weaker party and pass it to the more powerful. The tie will NEVER be benign or of benefit to a pub unless it is tightly regulated.

The ONLY scenario where the tie can be of benefit to a lessee is where a binding supply agreement is negotiated with a brewer or the freeholder of the pub in return for their making capital investment in the premises. In this instance a legally binding agreement is entered into between a lessee and an outside party - rather like a small business getting a loan from a bank - and beer is supplied at above open market price. Basically a repayment loan in slightly different form.

Here both the lessee (pub) and the freeholder / brewer have a direct interest in the upkeep of the premises because a well looked after building attracts more custom; they sell more products and make more money, the income from which repays the investment with interest.

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J Mark Dodds

I’m one of the Pub Persuaders, one of the Pub Professionals, one of the People who knows what’s going on – in PUBS that is - and this blog is about pubs, why they are so important to people and why they must be preserved, reinvigorated, enhanced and remade fit for purpose for the 21st century and beyond and how they must be made sustainable so that future generations can enjoy and learn from the rich seams of knowledge that can be found on everyone’s doorstep in every humble pub – until it’s closed forever – until it’s too late and people say ‘what happened to our pub? We really NEEDED that pub!’
I’m a publican, parent and photographer with a lot of food and drink experience in some of the busiest restaurants and clubs in Britain. Since long before 2008 (when I co-founded the Fair Pint Campaign) I’ve been a pro pubs, people and places person at the forefront of the national conversation about why pubs are closing… everywhere.
I love good pubs, my kids love good pubs, all my friends love good pubs – everyone loves good pubs and I’m determined to make sure good pubs remain part of everybody’s experience - of growing up in the UK and of visiting this country.